Murder of David Black

Murder of David Black
Part of Dissident Irish Republican campaign
Location	M1 motorway, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Date	1 November 2012 7:30 am
Target	David Black
Attack type	Shooting
Deaths	1
Perpetrators	New IRA

Prison Officer and Orange Order member ^{[1] [2]} David Black was shot and killed on 1 November 2012 by members of the New IRA. ^[3] The group claimed responsibility for the killing 11 days later. ^[4] Black was the first prison officer to be murdered by dissident Irish republicans since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. ^[5]

Attack

On 1 November 2012, David Black was driving to work at Maghaberry Prison when he was fatally shot by members of the New IRA at approximately 7:30 am. While travelling on the M1 motorway between Portadown and Lurgan, a vehicle with Dublin registration plates pulled alongside his car and opened fire. Black's vehicle veered off the road into a ditch following the attack. ^[6]

Reaction

• Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron: "First and foremost this is a dreadful tragedy for the family and friends of David Black who has been so brutally murdered as he went about his work keeping the people of Northern Ireland safe. My heart goes out to them."
• PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott: "It is a completely senseless attack which demonstrates the ruthlessness and recklessness of those opposed to peace and who live for violence."
• Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore: "I know that I speak for every decent man, woman and child on this island, north and south, in expressing revulsion at this act. There will be no return to the dark and violent days of the past. The tragic loss of life that we have seen this morning serves only to bring us together in a shared grief and a shared determination to work together in building a better future for all." ^[7]

Aftermath

The trial of a man charged with aiding and abetting Black's murder collapsed in 2018. ^[8]

In November 2022, on the tenth anniversary of the murder, Black's widow made a fresh appeal for information on her husband's killers. ^[9]

References

1. "Family of shot prison officer David Black 'devastated'". BBC News. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
2. McDonald, Henry (1 November 2012). "Murdered Northern Ireland prison officer was Orange Order member". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
3. "Case of man accused of IRA membership adjourned". Independent.ie. 10 July 2017.
4. "Prison Officer Murder: 'IRA' Group Claims Attack". Sky News. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
5. "Prison officer killed in Northern Ireland motorway shooting". 1 November 2012. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012.
6. Vincent Kearney (November 2012). "Family of shot prison officer David Black 'devastated' - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
7. "Reaction to prison officer's murder". BBC News. 1 November 2012.
8. "David Black killing: Trial collapses". BBC News. 21 June 2018.
9. "David Black murder: Widow makes new appeal on 10th anniversary". BBC News. November 2022.